Occasionally, Carlotta too had moments that belonged entirely to herself.
There was no need to contemplate the family's future, and no need to get entangled in past conflicts. At such times, the world quieted down, belonging to her alone. On such an afternoon, she could finally be simply Carlotta, not someone's daughter, not someone's heir, and not the embodiment of someone's expectations.
Sunlight flowed like liquid gold, and time itself seemed to soften. Holding a cup of warm black tea, she leaned by the window, her gaze lightly sweeping over the passing crowd outside. The tea's aroma wafted gently; the moment was tranquil, and even her heartbeat felt clear. At this time, there was no mission and no responsibility. There was only herself and this slowly flowing, golden afternoon.
Of course, that was not the case right now.
Right now, it was merely a brief respite amidst her work.
The agreement with Giacomo had just been finalized; the focus now had to shift toward preparing for the concert. In truth, if she really wanted to deal with Giacomo, she would not need to go through all this trouble.
In the city of Ragunna, aside from the Order of the Deep, which maintained its transcendent status, even the oldest families like the Fisalia could hardly truly contend with the Montelli family.
One was stuck in its ways, stagnant. Another was in decline, its glory faded. Only the Montelli were rising steadily. As for the Fasciaspina, such a small family was merely a dependent surviving on the Montelli's leftovers, clinging to existence in their shadow. If Carlotta truly wanted them gone, it would take only a single night.
But she could not do that. Because the previous incident had not only caused the death of Ettore Montelli but had also led to the loss of some of the Montelli family's precious Echo and Terminal data, core assets accumulated over many years. Eradicating the Fasciaspina family was not difficult; the hard part was eliminating them legally.
Otherwise, once the Fasciaspina vanished overnight, what whispers would spread through Ragunna's streets the next day?
"The Montelli family, wielding their power arbitrarily, leaving no room at all—"
Such accusations, once rooted, would be impossible to wash clean. Passersby would not seek the truth; they only believed in heart-pounding narratives.
For a family's reputation, suspicion could sometimes be sharper than a blade. The Order of the Deep would never let such an opportunity slip, seizing it to launch an offensive against the family. Perhaps the Montelli could ultimately weather the storm, but what about trust?
Trust took decades, inch by inch, to build, yet it could crumble completely in an instant. Therefore, until sufficient evidence was in hand, the Montelli still needed to endure.
She sipped her black tea, thinking of Ray, that young man working at Averado Bank. Initially, Carlotta had not held great expectations for him. But now... his actions had already exceeded her expectations. He was not a family member, yet he gave his all to assist her with every task. Perhaps... once all this was truly settled, she could consider formally introducing him into the family.
The young lady set down her teacup, her fingertips lightly tracing the rim as she murmured to herself, "Then... a code name?"
In the Montelli family, every member had their own code name when carrying out missions. For example, hers was "Opal." Carlotta suddenly thought of his eyes. A name flashed through her mind: "Cat's Eye?"
Opal introducing Cat's Eye... it sounded reasonable, didn't it?
"Young Miss." A voice sounded beside her.
Carlotta instinctively looked up, her gaze meeting the handsome young man standing before the table. She gave a slight nod, her tone composed. "You're here. Sit."
Ray nodded in acknowledgment, taking a seat across from her and getting straight to the point. "What's the plan for today? Do I need to continue reconnaissance?"
Carlotta shook her head, picking up an exquisite tea pastry with her fingertips. Her tone was relaxed yet clear. "Not necessary. For now, all you need to do is wait quietly for the concert to begin." She paused briefly, as if suddenly remembering something, and looked up at him. "Oh, right. About suitable candidates... any news on your end?"
"...Uh."
How should he answer? Did Phrolova truly possess musical talent? Ray was not actually sure, but he chose to trust his intuition.
"I suppose... there's one," he replied somewhat hesitantly. "It's just that this person's temperament... is a bit unusual."
"Unusual?" Carlotta leaned forward slightly, showing curiosity. "In what way?"
「Meet me here again at this time tomorrow.」
Ray recalled what Phrolova had said the previous night. Although it was somewhat baffling, it seemed he had to accept this tricky task.
"How should I put it... she said I look a lot like someone who offended her in the past, and she initially refused the invitation outright," he explained with a wry smile, scratching his head. "But then she said if my performance could satisfy her... she might reconsider."
Hearing this, Carlotta's expression became somewhat subtle. "There's such a thing? But it does sound like the temperament of some artists, unconventional, eccentric, and difficult to get along with." She paused briefly, her tone softening a bit. "If this matter makes you uncomfortable, you really don't have to force yourself."
"But I've already agreed to meet her tonight at a cafe," Ray sighed softly. "I don't want to break my promise."
Besides, what could she possibly ask him to do? Even if she held resentment, surely she would not unleash it all on him. At most, she would just use him as an emotional dumping ground, venting a bit.
When the time came, he would simply follow Phrolova's emotional lead, put himself in the shoes of the person who had offended her, and offer a sincere apology and the problem would likely be solved, right?
"It seems you place great importance on promises?" A faint smile touched the corner of Carlotta's lips, a hint of something in her eyes.
Ray nodded seriously. "Yes, very important."
"Why?"
"Does something like that... need a reason?" His tone was straightforward, as if stating the most natural truth. "A promise represents someone's trust in me, and I don't want to betray that trust. So anything I agree to, no matter what, I'll definitely do it."
"Just like I promised Miss Carlotta I'd complete this task, no matter what, I won't break my promise to you."
Carlotta's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly for an instant before her calm smile returned. Beneath that smile, a dazzling streak of light quietly flashed in the depths of her eyes.
"As expected of the person I chose," she said softly, yet with clear appreciation in her voice. "Since you've made up your mind, I certainly won't stand in your way. So now..."
"Let's take a brief rest, enjoy the afternoon sunshine, and savor this fine afternoon tea."
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Bonus Chapter Alert!
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